Video: Don Cherry Slams Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel

In a Coach's Corner on Hockey Night in Canada, Don Cherry suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs need new leadership, behind the bench and on the ice. The Maple Leafs recent hiring of respected head coach Mike Babcock is a step in the right direction. Cherry says they should go further and strip Dion Phaneuf of the captaincy:

He’ll straighten Dion out. He’ll have him back there like he did with Calgary and one thing I would do, and I know I’m going to upset a lot of people, you have to do it gently, I would take the captaincy off him. Then he can just play, then he doesn’t have to worry about all that bologna that goes on.

Cherry also said Phil Kessel came to camp out of shape last season, but will be in shape next season to impress his new coach:

I guarantee you Kessel is going to be 10 pounds lighter when he reports and he won’t come to camp and laugh about how he was only on skates 10 times.

Watch the Coach's Corner: